Spray composition



Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE? SPRAY comosrrfonClarence D.-Dolman, Chelan County, Wash, assignor to Hercules GlueCompany, Ltd., a corporation of California No Drawing. Application June28, 1940, ,Serial No. 343,025

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful spray material forapplication to fruit trees and the like to secure pest control.

Among the pests afiecting vegetation detrimentally are mites and likepests. I have discovered that naphthalene and materials closely relatedto naphthalene such as chlorinated naphthalene, also known as halowax,are useful against mites, as well as assisting in the control of otherpests.

In employing naphthalene for pest control I have found that thismaterial, when applied to fruit and vegetation, crystallizes readily.Further, these crystals grow rapidly so that instead of an even, uniformcover being provided on the In incorporating the naphthalene into thedry carrier material the naphthalene may be heated fatty acid, mixingthe two and then depositing vegetation, relatively large crystals orflakes of the naphthalene appear in isolated spots. deposit does notprovide uniform or adequate protection or control.

After considerable investigation I have discovered that naphthalene andrelated materials This can be successfully employed in insecticidalvcompositions and effective pest control secured if the crystal growthtendency of naphthalene be inhibited. Further, I have found that naphthalene can be held in a finely divided state of division until it isdistributed on the surface of the vegetation, even under adverse storageconditions, and this same crystal growth tendency inhibited when thenaphthalene is deposited as a spray on the vegetation, if thenaphthalene, or related material, is combined with an adsorbent carriermaterial. As asuitable carrier I have successfully used diatomaceousearth as well as =bentonitebut any other suitable material havingadsorbent properties and being finely divided and dry can be employed.Such materials are walnut shell flour, wood flour, talc ,and

soluble insecticide or fungicide and naphthalene.

' earth as naphthalene.

them on the dry carrier to finally'provide a mix of uniform naphthaleneconcentration. In other instances I have successfully dissolved thenaphthalene and the fatty'acid in a mutual solvent therefor such askerosene or a chlorinated hydrocarbon such as ethylene dichloride:

The amount of dry carrier material added to the naphthalene is such thatcrystal growth in the naphthalene is prohibited. With diatomacecusearthabout equal parts by weight of the two materials should be employedalthough I prefer to employ twice as much diatomaceous Definitelycrystalline materials as lead arsenate and other insecticides are moreeffective and the carrier-naphthalene ratio can be increased and as muchas three and four parts of naphthalene can be mixed with one part ofcarrier successfully.

When fatty acid is included in the dry carrier together with thenaphthalene, the material is made up into an aqueous spray compositionvery simply by addition of a surface tension reducing material of theclass exemplified by sodium oleate or other fatty acid soap or ester.

In practice I have successfully employed the following composition, theamounts specified being based on the proportionwith gallons of Water:

3 pounds of lead arsenate and /6 pound of Multifilm spreader .(a fattyacid, soap, diatomaceous earth composition such as is disclosed in myco-pending application Serial Number 268,619 filed April 18, 1 939) wereagitated with water. A half pound of the naphthalenecarrier material mixwas then added, this material having been made up in the proportions of2 pounds of diatomaceous earth to 2 pounds of naphthalene firstdissolved in a pint of kerosene containing 5% of oleic acid. This spraycomposition applied to apples successfully destroyed both the larvae ofthe codling moth and the various spider and mite pests while fruit notso treated was heavily infected. The appearance of the fruit was notharmed nor was the metabolism of the tree interfered with. v

If desired, the naphthalene can be incorporated into the dry inertcarrier material employed in conjunction with the fatty acid, fatty acidsoap or fatty acid ester and oil mixture disclosed in my aforementionedapplication. When naphthalene is included in such a composition, thespray deposit has a much better, more uniform appearance than, whennaphthalene is omitted.

When the material of the present invention is examined under themicroscope, minute crystals of naphthalene are found thoroughly andunlformly disseminated throughout the carrier. Apparently whennaphthalene, or solutions of naphthalene, are mixed with the dry carriermaterials of the present invention, inert substances having adsorbentproperties, the tendency to about a sixth of a pound of a suitablespreader,

provides more effective control than with either material alone.

Other spray tank mixes have been successfully made up as follows: Twopounds (more or less within the limits specified) of naphthalene weremixed into a gallon of mineral oil containing a half pint of oieic acid.This solution was mixed with six pounds of lead arsenate, twothirds of apound of a suitable spreader (Multifilm or Multifllm 77 can be used) andten gallons of water until a thick creamy paste was obtained. More orless water may be used as necessary to obtain thick uniform paste. Aftera homoform large crystals is entirely prevented, even when thenaphthalene is in contact withoil and is sprayed in the presence ofother materials on fruit. The crystal growth inhibiting power is mostmarked when the carrier is definitely crystalline as in the case of leadarsenate.

When lead arsenate is employed as the carrier, the ratio of thenaphthalene to carrier can be increased. The lead arsenate-naphthalenebase can vary between relatively wide limits, as I have indicated.Successful control is secured by thoroughly mixing 2 /2 pounds of leadarsenate with a half pound of naphthalene. This material, when added to100 gallcns of water together with geneous mix was obtained the wholewas dumped into a two hundred gallon tank, almost full of water. andunder agitation. The mixture immediately flocculated, disseminatedthrough the water, and was ready for'spraying.

I claim:

1. The method of preparing an insecticidal material comprisingdissolving. a mass of naph-,

thalene and about 10% of said mass of a fatty acid in a mutual solventtherefor and then dispersing the so formed solution throughout a mass ofabout equal weight of a dry finely divided adsorbent carrier material.

2. The method of preparing an insecticidal material comprisingdissolving a mass of naphthalene and about 10% of said mass of oleicacid in a mutual mineral oil solvent therefor and then dispersing the soformed solution throughout a.

mass of about equal weight of a dry finely divided adsorbent carriermaterial.

CLARENCE D. DOLMAN.

